My Week

It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles.  

Last Monday didn't feel like a Martin Luther King holiday because I was still being confined, cold and retired from working anyway.  Tuesday I renewed my license plate and asked for new plates be made since mine are warped and pealing.  Illinois has a lot of vehicles around with half the paint missing.  Although mine is not as bad as some, I can touch it and feel space between the paint and metal about to peal.  At 7PM I took Amber to practice before her trial on Saturday.  When she was off leash, she ran zoomies not once but twice.  It's like she had a sugar rush.  Tuesday's mail delivery was delivered after 8PM.

Amber has been jerking me on the leash.  She even made me fall.  Now she is coughing.  I'm sure it's because of her choking herself when she pulls on a leash.  I called the veterinary office and was told she was treated for the contagious kennel cough through June.  I know she doesn't like a harness but that's what she'll be wearing for awhile to keep her from choking. 

Thursday I helped with the wreath clean up at Camp Butler at 8:30 in the morning.  The weather was pleasant too.  Nice turn out.  I brought my hoe and nose dived the handle through the wreaths and dragged them to the edge.  I took 2 loads in the back of my car to the dumpster area.  Since there was nothing left but transport to the dumpsters and many that had open trucks, I was able to leave about 9:45.  I picked up a new vent for the baseboard in the bathroom on the way home.  I picked up a wooden one because bathroom humidity pulled the paint off the metal one. Then I made it to the club for an open obedience practice.  After that, I had time to clean my car from all the pine needles.  Boy did it need that despite having an old blanket. 

I have been really bummed about the Inauguration and hope that was stolen.  I now await being called to some reconditioning camp.  

On top of that, I'm bummed about back-to-back failures on Saturday's 2 AKC Novice A trials.   I left with my tail between my legs in a hurry after the second failure.  Amber ran out of the ring during a recall and had to be caught by the collar by someone.  Now I don't know where to go from here.  It's like she's getting worse instead of better.  She scored 2 Qs and 1 NQ in June 2019 and now she's a dud. See my blog here for background.  She didn't sit during a halt or sit in front of me during a recall. Then it got worse on the second trial. Amber was sniffing the edge of the ring and crossed over from my left heel position to the right side.  On the off leash recall, she zoomed out of the ring on recall and had to be caught.  The judge excused me.  I need some separation time from her because she doesn't know why I'm mad at her.  Lest she will never recall again.  I'm am contacting a professional trainer that will be using a shock collar to let her know she can't get away with it.  Just need to schedule Amber with Sandy Mcmillan in Rochester, IL.

This was a poster at Kim's Dog sports which made me think of all the dog condolences.

 

I don't think I can show my face at Mound City ever again.

I had one goal for 2021, a trip to coastal Maine, and that was canceled.   As I examine my future, there doesn't seem like anything to live for or anything I'm really good at.  I just eat and sleep.  January is always a depressing month but during COVID it's the worst.

My prayer app starts a new novena toward "Our Lady of Good Success"  Never heard of this saint.

I watched Jane Eyre on YouTube free. I watched  Williamsburg: the Story of a Patriot (1957) .